From the heart of Asbury Park, NJ

Special Meeting Planned on Ocean Development

A special public presentation over a proposal to develop a 28-acre property at the intersection of Route 35 and Deal Road in Ocean Township has been rescheduled to Monday, Jan. 29. The presentation was originally scheduled for Jan. 4 but had to be cancelled due to a snowstorm.

The event, the second special presentation on the project that has been given to the general public, will be at the High School Auditorium from 7 to 9 pm.

The project is only a proposal right now and no application has yet been presented to the Planning Board.

Township resident Maurice Zekaria, owner of Paramount Realty, wants to build a 112-room Marriott Hotel, a Wawa gas station and convenience store, and a Chick-Fil-A near Route 35 and 70 with upscale townhouses on the eastern portion of the site.

“I convinced Maurice to do a public presentation again. It provides a unique opportunity to ask questions directly rather than attend long, drawn-out Planning Board meetings. The public can meet the developer face to face, ask questions, and give their thoughts on the project,” Mayor Christopher Siciliano said.

Zekaria gave a similar presentation at the high school almost one year ago but Siciliano said that some of the plans have been revised after hearing comments from the public, including modifying buildings, leaving a natural tree buffering, more open space, and addressing traffic concerns.

“I urge residents to come out and use this as an opportunity to see what it’s all about, get information, and have chance for their own input. They can put it all out there,” he said.